MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK Reflections on the MGNREGA-NRLM Convergence CFT Project

Seeking to transfer, in a sustained and well-designed manner, the knowledge of best practices and theoretical understanding of concepts from CSOs to frontline functionaries, the CFT project promises rich and multi-fold dividends from this investment in human resources, impacting all programmes at the block level

T he Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is currently implementing an ambitious project, in collaboration with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), to deliver on the employment guarantee put forward in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The Cluster Facilitation Team Project is intended to address a specific gap—the lack of adequate human resources to administer MGNREGA in backward regions, where it is required the most. MGNREGA is a difficult programme to implement. It has various processes—planning, registering workers’ demands, initiating work, measuring the quantum of work, wage payments and community monitoring. It requires a wide range of expertise in administration such as engineering skills, information technology, planning methods and community mobilization. Often, the most backward regions with the weakest state capacity to deliver the employment guarantee programme require the programme the most. MGNREGA has been consistently under-utilized in these regions—much below its potential. Along with the primary concern of a weak state capacity, two other related concerns were also recognized as major gaps—that of the questionable quality of MGNREGA assets and the low awareness of workers’ rights in the community.